1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a portable lighted storage boxes or containers. More specifically, this invention is related to a lighted tackle box, tool box, first aid container, or other similar container or box having a light for illuminating the box, its contents and the surrounding area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many applications in which the contents of a portable storage box are to be used at night or in relatively low light conditions. In many such applications, the user can easily use a flashlight or other source of portable illumination. However, the use of a flashlight either requires the user to use one hand to hold the flashlight, leaving only one hand free or requires two people to perform an activity that would require only one if there were adequate light. For example a fisherman would typically need both hands to change lures, which can be difficult when fishing at night. Of perhaps more significance is the need of an emergency worker to have both hands free to apply first aid to an injury.
A number of prior art light portable boxes have been proposed, but these boxes typically have poor illumination which not only fail to adequately illuminate the contents of the box, but also fail to illuminate the immediate surrounding area. U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,132 discloses one such illuminated fishing tackle box that has a small light to illuminate the interior of the box, but also has an external light mounted on one end of the box to serve as a flashlight as the fisherman walks about during the night. This box uses only a single point source of light, which fails to provide sufficient illumination.
In many applications, the portable box also includes fold out trays, which open to expose the remainder of the storage area of the base of the box. U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,308 discloses one such box in which a light source is mounted on top of the fold out trays to illuminate the trays. The light source is however located so that it will adequately illuminate only the trays with the larger storage area in the box remaining in the dark.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,170 discloses a version in which a flexible light wand is located on one of the folding trays in a fishing tackle box. This point source of light would illuminate only a small part of the contents of the box at any one time, and although it could illuminate most parts of the box, one at a time, it provides no means for illuminating the entire box, including the trays, but also the immediate area surrounding the box, where the user would most likely perform any tasks that would either require or be greatly facilitated by the presence of adequate light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,379 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,408 are other examples of lighted fishing tackle boxes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,484 overcomes a number of these disadvantages of the prior art. The tackle box shown in that patent employs a fluorescent light extending between opposite ends of the tackle box lid, and requires a relatively large battery. That apparatus therefore can be rather heavy and the lighting can reduce the amount of storage space available in the container. That device also employs a nonstandard arrangement of trays, which are positioned on an opposite side of the base from the open lid.
The instant invention overcomes these advantages by employing a small lamp or LED, which is rotatable relative to a hinged lid so that the light occupies only a small space and can be oriented in a large number of positions relative to the main storage area of the box and relative to pull out trays.